Acceptance
by HPOwlLover24
Summary: A few weeks after the war ends, Nico is still learning how to be a part of a bigger place and Will drops a few pretty big bombs.
1. Beginnings

**So, I finally finished the last Heroes of Olympus book and…well, yeah. My shipping heart was happy even if I actually wasn't. I didn't want the series to end (though I'm excited for the Norse Gods series and there's always the crossover!) and I was, overall, happy with the end of the book. Uncle Rick did a great job, but he can't make everyone happy. Anyways, can you imagine what my new ship is? Enjoy!**

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><p>Acceptance. This was a new foreign concept that Nico di Angelo was just beginning to learn. It only took about eighty years and two large wars, but it was still happening. That's what counts, right? He finally seemed to be finding his way out of his isolation in the dark cavern he often left himself in.<p>

The point actually was that Nico was beginning to enjoy himself. His attitude was beginning to change tremendously and he was starting to be more open with himself and others. It helped that no one looked at him as a son of Hades, but as the kid who helped bring the two camps together. Nico was another camper. He had never seen a place so alive and Nico was slowly becoming happy. Everyone seemed to forget that he was the only son of the Lord of the Dead. As it was, Nico could barely remember when he despised the place, somewhere he thought he would never call home.

Camp Half-Blood was just that though. The campers went about their daily business, training and spoke of future quests and chariot races. The mess hall was always loud and, through technicalities Nico was _supposed_ to be sitting alone, Percy and Jason hated sitting by themselves and often convened at the Hades table for meals. Nico was happy with the two boys doing this, though he never said it, because it made him feel less lonely, even if they acted like two very protective older brothers. He was also pretty sure that the gods didn't mind because they haven't been struck by lightning, drowned, or sucked into the ground. The campfires were also a huge deal now. It was as if at every single one, they were celebrating the defeat of Gaea and her Giants, even if it had only been weeks ago. Nico wasn't one for singing, but the Apollo cabin always gave him a good distraction…

But besides all the happiness he was beginning to feel, Nico, as the Head Counsellor for the Hades cabin, had some duties he needed to perform. He was currently working on some new designs for his cabin, beginning with the beds. Seriously, who designed these?

He had asked Jason and Piper for some suggestions because, to be honest, Leo and Annabeth would go too far and Percy was no help with this kind of situation. Anyways, Jason and Piper had given him some ideas and Nico finally decided which layout was going to be the best. After the beds, he would tackle the rest of the cabin.

As Nico was going to start his work on the first couple of beds with some of the things he borrowed from Leo and the Hephaestus cabin, someone knocked lightly on the door.

Nico looked up in wonder at who would be knocking and still waiting outside for him to answer. Usually Jason and Percy were the ones to visit and, where Percy usually just barged in, Jason would knock lightly and then walk into the cabin, calling for him. Not to mention it was a Wednesday a few of days before school was starting, so no one was really at Camp at the moment.

Nico walked over to the door and opened it, surprised to see a blonde-haired, blue-eyed son of Apollo grinning down at him.

"Er…"

"Hey!" Will Solace smiled widely and it was as if the sun was right in front of Nico instead of hanging in the middle of the sky. The bony butterflies in his stomach were back in his stomach and Nico grumpily crossed his arms over his chest. "I heard you were going to build some new beds for your cabin for the rest of the day and I was wondering if you wanted some help?" He waved the hammer in his hand that Nico hadn't noticed earlier and offered another blinding smile.

Nico fought down the blush threatening to break out over his cheeks as he nodded and stepped back to let Will in. He and Will had a, uh, complicated relationship. At least, that's what the son of Hades thought it was. Nico, since the war, had grown extremely close to Will. Like Jason and Reyna, he had been able to talk about anything with his fellow Head Counselor. There had also been the occasional hand holding and few kisses in between (only on the forehead!), but Nico didn't let himself delve into that, it was too good to be true. He was sure Lou Ellen was working some magic and just allowing him to see what he wanted to see.

If it was possible, Will's smile grew larger as he walked into the Hades cabin. Nico tried to ignore the way the son of Apollo made him feel, and also tried to ignore the fact that they were alone and scowled. "I've always wanted to see what it looked like in here," Will began cheerily, looking over at the cabin's shrine to Hades, the jewels shining from the sunlight streaming in through the windows since Nico had opened the red curtains. "It's not as dark as I thought it would be."

Nico tugged at his orange Camp-Half Blood shirt nervously, the scowl thinning on his face, and thought of Hazel all the way in California in charge of the Fifth Cohort, "Why? The children of Hades aren't all dark."

Will turned to look over at Nico, a smirk crossing his features, "I know. Aren't you just a ray of sunshine, Death Boy?"

Nico did blush this time and murmured, "I was talking about my sister." He walked over to the supplies near his bed and the beginning of his new bed. He showed Will the new un-coffin-like beds he had in mind, they seemed like regular beds but the designs were obviously fit for a child of Hades. "I got some of the lampades to also bring some of my Father's gems up to use for a few of the beds and I also talked to Leo and there are a some from the Hephaestus cabin that are making some skeletal frame designs. You know, to practice their craftsmanship. And Calypso is going to help make some new bedding that isn't, you know…" So darn depressing and itchy.

Will nodded, grinning the entire time as if skeletons on a bed and Underworld nymphs were not some of the creepiest things someone could have possibly mentioned. He inclined his head to the bed frame leaning against the wall now. The headboard seemed to be a carving of a three-headed dog and each dog was giving him a dog-smile. "That from Leo?" There was a slight strain in his voice.

Nico looked down at the tools and ignored what he thought he heard in Will's voice, trying to busy himself and not seem completely incompetent at being social. He was still trying to get used to it after all. He shook his head, eyes still on the tools, "It's a gift from my Father."

"Cerberus, right?"

Nico nodded again, playing with a hammer.

Will chuckled, "It's alright to talk to me, you know? I'm a son of Apollo not Ares." He grabbed the first piece of bed frame he could and tried with the small talk again. "So where did you get all this then?"

Nico inclined his head behind him, ignoring Will's jibe, to one of the beds that Will hadn't noticed before. It had been dismantled and stripped for parts. "Ah, recycling, nice."

Nico offered a small smile, before turning back to the frame. Will, Nico guessed, finally gave up and helped him work on the first bed, his bed, and it was quiet between them for a bit. They put together the frame, ghosts were etched into the posts and small onyx stones were scattered within the wood. Hades had really gone all out for him, a roundabout way of congratulating him for what he had endured the last few weeks without actually saying it. Nico smiled, he knew where he got his social skills from at least.

Nico tried to focus on the task at hand, but it was difficult. Will wasn't one to just avoid being friendly. Often, their hands brushed as they held the frames together or reached for the same tools. Will had a grin on his face every time Nico sneaked glances at him. And, once or twice, Nico looked up to see Will staring at him with a wide smile. Every time Nico asked if he was okay, Will just nodded and went back to work.

They finally slid Nico's mattress onto the bed frame and looked at their handiwork. Nico glanced outside the window, it hadn't taken very long to do it with Will's help, but he was still waiting for the lampades to bring the gems up and Leo to have a few of the other beds ready having stripped half of the beds in his room. He also had to wait a little longer for Calypso to finish some of the bedding.

Will let out a happy sigh of victory, "What next?"

Nico picked up a carving knife and looked at the few beds intact. "I have to take apart the other coffin lookalikes and then carve some spaces for the gems that should be here in a few hours"

Will looked at the newly put together bed and then to Nico. With a blinding grin on his face, he kicked off his shoes and jumped onto the bed.

Nico looked up at him with wide eyes, and a grimace on his features, "What are you doing?"

Will looked back at him with sparkling blue eyes, his blonde hair bouncing on his head with each jump. "I'm testing the bed, what's it look like?"

Nico crossed his arms, frowning, "It looks like you're trying to break my bed that we just put together."

Will stopped jumping and climbed off the bed, walking over to Nico slowly. He stopped in front of him, a sly grin stretching across his features that caused more butterflies to erupt in Nico's stomach as he looked up at Will. "Well, we could always break it in."

Nico didn't really understand what he was saying, but he didn't say anything when Will took his hand and lead him to the bed. Will climbed in and pulled Nico up with him onto his lap, wrapping his arms around his waist and nuzzling his nose in Nico's messy black hair.

Nico tensed up at the sudden display of affection, focusing on his hands. It wasn't like this for them; it was always hand holding, but only when the other needed it, and they've kissed before, but it was on the forehead and only happened twice. Nico didn't know what to make of them.

But this…this was something couples did, something that you did with someone you wanted a relationship with.

Will moved his mouth to Nico's ear, "Relax, Nico. We have to wait for the lampades to get here to do any carving." He began to play with the hem of Nico's shirt and hummed a soothing melody in his ear.

Nico felt himself beginning to relax, his shoulders falling as he leaned against Will's chest, his head resting on Will's shoulder. The butterflies were still there, but it was a pleasant feeling this time and he wasn't so nervous anymore.

"Feel better?" Will whispered. Nico nodded and tried to keep his blush down at the proximity of the blonde. "See? This is why you should listen to the doctor's orders."

Nico grinned and gently elbowed the guy behind him. "Oh shut it. You always say that, Sunshine. Freaking son of Apollo."

He heard Will chuckle behind him, obviously amused at what Nico had said. "Sunshine?"

Nico nodded slowly, his grin growing into a small smile. "Why not? I think it suits you."

"Alright Death Boy, if that's what you wanna call me," Will trailed off.

They sat in silence for a moment, enjoying each other's company and the rare time of peace they had. It had been weeks since the war and Nico's quest with Reyna and Coach, and it finally seems that he caught a break.

"So, Nico," Will started. Nico hummed in response to let him know that he was listening. "There are a few things I need to talk to you about."

Nico grunted, waiting for Will to start saying something. He began to play with Will's fingers, as his hands were still wrapped around Nico's waist comfortingly.

Will rested his chin on Nico's shoulder, nudging Nico's head with his own. Will shifted the small boy in his lap so that Nico was sitting with his right shoulder against the other's chest. Nico kept Will's right hand in his own, not looking up into the blue eyes he knew would be looking down at him.

"I…we've become good friends, haven't we?" Will asked, the uncertainty clear in his voice.

Nico nodded, still not quite willing to look Will in the eye. Instead, he focused on the other's freckles. He'll admit that his heart sank at the word friend. Was that all he was to Will? A friend who sat in his lap and played with his hand like a partner would do? It wasn't as if Nico had pushed this, Will had always been the initiator between them, not the other way around.

Will cleared his throat a little. "We- I mean, uh…"

Nico looked at Will, was he nervous? Blue eyes returned his gaze, causing his stomach to do a few flips.

"Will you be my boyfriend?"

Whatever Nico had been expecting, it wasn't that. He gaped up at Will, his hands still holding the blonde's. A few moments passed.

Will squeezed Nico's hand and cleared his throat again, giving him a small, nervous grin, "I, uh, please say something Death Boy."

But Nico couldn't, he was still in shock from Will's question. B-boyfriend? Like an official relationship? Nico's heart was racing in his chest. His crush was actually asking him out, so he nodded.

Will let out a huge sigh of relief and smiled his blinding and bright smile again. His arm that had been resting against Nico's back was now around his waist again. He gently pulled his other hand out of Nico's and placed it on Nico's chin, turning Nico's face toward him.

Nico's felt his cheeks heat up at the intensity of Will's gaze as the son of Apollo leaned in, his lips brushing against Nico's.

Nico felt a shock go through his entire body at the light pressure, his eyes fluttering close. Will pulled back a bit from Nico, but he was still close enough to feel his breath brush over him and smell the freshness that came from Will: the smell of laurel wreaths and fresh wood from his bow and arrows and lyre. "I've wanted to do that for a while now," he murmured, leaning his forehead against Nico's.

Nico, unable to take the separation any longer, closed the distance between them again. The kiss was slow and sweet and unlike the other they just had, which had been rushed and brief and slightly unsatisfying. Nico could feel the smile breaking across his features at the utter happiness he felt, he didn't want to move from this spot, but his neck was craning from the odd angle.

Nico pulled away, and shifted in Will's lap so he could face his boyfriend. He straddled Will with a knee at each of his hips, not fully understanding why Will's face suddenly flushed red or why he began to stutter under his breath. Nico decided it would be best to shut him up.

He fisted his hands in the front of Will's Camp T-shirt as he pressed their lips together, this time for a longer kiss. Nico brought himself as close as possible, simply reacting at this point and feeling Will's hands grab his waist to do the same. One of Nico's hands ran up to Will's neck, and Will's moved from Nico's hips. Nico could feel their movement, his entire body sensitive and alert to what Will was doing. One of Will's hands made it to the small of Nico's back and the other up to his head, Will's fingers tangling in his raven hair. Nico shivered at the way it felt.

He couldn't really think, Will was all he could focus on at that moment. His touch. His smell. His taste.

Eventually, the two broke apart, panting as they tried to catch their breath.

Nico's dark eyes met Will's bright blue ones, as he looked down at the blonde he was currently towering over. How did they already get this far?

Nico didn't have much time to think on that because there was a knock at the cabin door. He scrambled off Will's lap and walked on shaky legs to the door. He yanked it open to see one of the furies standing there, a small bag in her hands. "From Lord Hades," she hissed.

Nico quickly took the bag from the fury before Will could see who was there and freak out. He looked over at the other nervously, before grabbing the carving knife and beginning to work.

Will got up, his tanned cheeks still red from their previous activities, but he noticed Nico's uncertainness. "What's up?"

Nico shook his head as he took a jewel from the bag and began carving out a spot for it on one of the intact beds. He still had to take down some of the frames that made it look like a vampire slept there, but it would be easier to do this while there was still daylight out.

Will walked over to Nico and put a hand on his shoulder, "Nico."

Nico looked up at him and sighed at the concern in his eyes, much like the expression he wore when he was in the infirmary for those few days. "I just didn't want her to creep you out," he murmured.

Will knelt beside Nico, a grin stretching across his face. "You're saying that to a guy whose dad had a shriveled, old spirit telling horrible, ridiculous prophesies," Will told him.

Nico looked over at his boyfriend and smiled. Was he always this understanding?

Will's hand went to the back of his neck, obviously nervous about something. "Which leads me to the next thing I wanted to talk to you about…" he trailed off.

Nico watched him, waiting for him to continue. For some reason, the way Will was speaking was making Nico more nervous than before.

"Rachel contacted Chiron. She and Ella have almost finished pulling some of the Syallbine books together and found out where the spirit of Delphi could be…"

Nico dropped his carving knife and gave his full attention to Will. Did this mean…?

Will dropped his hand and looked straight at Nico, "Once they put it together, Chiron has given me the quest. Once I know the prophecy, I'm going to look for the spirit of Delphi and possibly help my dad."

Nico felt a lead in his stomach as it twisted in on itself. Of course, this would only happen to him. Though he couldn't agree with Chiron more, Will had to be the one to go on this quest. Who was better to find this spirit than a son of Apollo? That didn't make it less nerve-wracking.

Nico forced a smile on his face, "Well, that's good Will. You will suc-"

"I want you to come with me."

Nico's mouth snapped shut before falling open again, "Huh?"

Will offered a weak smile, "You're the Ghost King, right? You could help me find a powerful and old spirit." Nico still looked thoroughly unconvinced. Will looked at him, his expression completely serious, "I need you, Nico."

Nico gave him a look, that didn't make sense. Will could ask anyone else. Maybe someone who wasn't so incompetent at times would be better.

Yet, Nico found himself nodding, "Alright. I'll help you."

The smile in Will's expression was worth it for Nico, it filled the other's entire face and made Nico feel a lot better about the entire situation.

He cleared his throat, he needed to get some questions answered first, no need to get caught in the love-haze. "Er…who else did you plan on asking?"

Will, his smile still planted on his face, moved towards Nico, reaching for the smaller boy. "Maybe Lou Ellen, we may need her magic. Prophecy is pretty much magic anyways," he responded. Will grabbed Nico's hand, lacing their fingers together.

Nico tried to ignore the nerves that were threatening to take over his mind. "Wh-when would we leave?"

Will wrapped his other arm around Nico's waist, pulling him close, and nuzzled his face in Nico's wild black hair. "When Rachel tells Chiron, he'll alert me and then we're off. But he warned me it won't be for a few days."

Nico nodded, trying not to stiffen in Will's embrace. He was still not used to the entire open socializing and relationship thing. Thankfully, Will seemed to understand. He chuckled and kissed Nico's temple, "It's alright Angel, we'll move slow." He pulled away and reached down for the carving knife, "I'll carve and you can work the gems."

Nico nodded, his own smile spreading across his face. They worked on placing the jewels in the bed frames and making them look more like actual beds. The pair joked around and shared a few kisses and stared when they thought the other wasn't looking.

Nico may still be getting used to the whole acceptance thing, he may have a difficult quest in front of him after he just put an entire war behind him.

He looked over at Will, who was laughing wildly at Nico's response to an earlier activity planned by Mr. D. The blonde's blue eyes sparkled and his entire face lit up with his large smile, his freckles dancing across his nose.

But there's always a ray of sunshine that leads the way out of a dark cave.

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><p><strong>Obviously, this has the potential to be more. I am a bit on the fence about it though. Would anyone be interested in reading it if I were to continue?<strong>


	2. Screaming Prophecies

**Here's to starting the New Year off right! Cheers and Happy New Year's everyone!**

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><p>A few days actually turned into a few weeks and, before he knew it, Nico was done fixing up the Hades cabin and it was already days into September. Anxiety built within him as no news from Camp Jupiter came in, and it didn't help that he was becoming less and less busy. With nothing to distract him at times, Nico's mind wandered and he would revisit painful memories or grow in anxiety. It was at times like those that Nico wished he had decided to go to school.<p>

Most demigods that could attend school were commuting, traveling to school and back to camp for the protection, by magical means of transportation. Nico was definitely happy to say that he was, in no way, a part of the morning hassle. And Jules-Albert was always there for him if he needed a ride somewhere.

But Nico, who hadn't gone to school since he was living with his mother in the thirties and forties, decided to stay at camp. They had tutors there that taught the demigods, who couldn't venture out, things other than Greek history. He also became a real ambassador, assisting his father, Hades, and Chiron with meeting people, creatures and, sometimes, Gods that had to speak to them. Nico was happy with his work and couldn't really complain about the hours.

He also got to see Will every day. The son of Apollo always had a smile on his face, specifically reserved for Nico, which made his insides jumble into annoying and exciting heaps of nerves. Will was one of the few to stay at camp with the tutors instead of attending school, due to the obvious necessity of needing a constant medic for demigods.

Jason and Percy were also often seen around camp with Nico, endlessly teasing him about his new boyfriend or duties with boring Gods. Because the two were sons of very powerful Gods and growing older, they were often forced to stay in the camp boundaries for the weekends, and sometimes a few nights during the week, to avoid the monsters and actually get some studying done. Annabeth and Piper were also always around, helping Nico out of his misery when Jason would try to talk to him about the "birds and the bees" or when Percy would launch into a speech about being everyone's type.

So, it wasn't entirely Nico's fault when he expected the day to turn out just as the others had, right?

Will grabbed Nico's hand, running his fingers along the bones lightly and pressing gently at every joint, his blue eyes narrowed in concentration. Will often did this to practice his knowledge and Nico actually liked watching him concentrate on trying to remember every joint, tendon or muscle. "So how was your day?"

Nico laughed, something he had been doing quite a lot lately when Will was around. "I had to deal with a few of Aeolus's wind nymphs today. Tried to get them to help Chiron with the camp's climate control. I have a new meaning for 'bad hair day' now."

It was Will's turn to laugh as he reached up with his free hand to ruffle Nico's already ruffled hair, which caused Nico's stomach to become a gymnast. They leaned against Thalia's tree, waiting for the sunset. Everyday, a few campers would wait here to make sure every demigod that was coming back made it in without pulling a Thalia or Percy and face an entire army from Hades by themselves. After sunset, rounds began and the demigods took shifts to keep an eye out for wayward demigods.

Nico leaned his head gently against Will's shoulder, relaxing when he felt Will's arm wrap around his waist. He was, obviously, still timid about it all, but Will had been so patient with him. It was just hard for Nico to get out of his time and step into the modern one. But, thankfully, Will seemed to realize that Nico had been raised in a different time despite being the same age. "You?"

He felt Will shrug, "A few new campers had some burns from the lava wall, but nothing some cream and nectar couldn't fix. It does make me wonder why people keep thinking that that wall is to be taken lightly."

"I think it's from the number of times they've probably already seen Clarisse scale it," Nico grunted, pulling at some grass beside his hip.

Will grabbed his hand and Nico's dark eyes met Will's blue ones, "What's wrong?"

Another thing Nico grew to know about Will. Though his boyfriend often showed worry for other campers when they were injured or ill, the constant concern saved for Nico alone was…well, different. He never really had someone constantly make sure he was okay since Bianca, and, at that time, he hadn't realized it. It really touched him that Will cared, but sometimes it was just hard for Nico to start talking about things.

"I just wanna hear from Rachel already," Nico mumbled. He knew Will wanted him to go with him on the quest, but what if he shouldn't? Quests were meant for three, right? What if Nico wasn't supposed to go and Will has to leave him behind?

Will leaned over and kissed Nico's temple, "So do I."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, unsure of what to say to the other. Though he was anxious about what was to come, Nico couldn't help but relax. Will's head was resting on his own as he hummed a familiar song and lightly traced circles on Nico's hip.

Nico couldn't help but grin, "What are you humming?"

"Just some pop song I've heard before. It actually has a pretty good tune to it." Will's humming turned into singing and Nico sat in silence as he listened to his boyfriend.

_"__Smile, the worst is yet to come.  
>We'll be lucky if we ever see the sun.<br>Got nowhere to go,  
>We could be here for a while.<br>The future is forgiven,  
>So smile."<em>

Nico found himself smiling as Will continued, burrowing himself further into his boyfriend's warm embrace. Will, obviously being a son of Apollo, could sing very well. His voice was gentle and eased over the notes, only slightly out of tune, not that Nico could really hear it.

As Will finished, Nico cleared his throat and wiggled slightly. Will chuckled, his arms tightening around the smaller boy, "Falling asleep on duty, are we?"

Nico frowned and crossed his arms. He scoffed, "No. I just had a long day."

Will laughed again and ran his hand through Nico's messy hair. "Come on then, Angel. It's time to head in for dinner." Will stood and helped Nico up, intertwining their fingers as Nico was led by Will back into camp.

It was stupid, really it was, how much anxious energy Nico had just because Will held his hand. He could feel those bony butterflies fluttering in his stomach and he hoped beyond hope that his palm wasn't sweating.

Will chuckled and leaned down to Nico's ear, "Take it easy, Death Boy."

Nico shot him a glare before walking into the mess hall. It was still strange to have a few people look at them and giggle or begin talking, but Nico was used to it at this point.

The first time they had walked into the mess hall hand in hand, what seemed like the entire camp began cheering and shouting. Nico was astounded at how invested everyone is with each other around here, though he blamed that on himself. Once he became more involved with his fellow campers, he really understood why everyone reacted the way they did. He solely blames the Aphrodite cabin.

Anyways, all the campers were happy for the two, which was a bit weird for Nico because he hadn't expected such immediate acceptance. Will had been his own little ball of sunshine he had smiled so brightly. Nico was sure someone from the Hermes cabin, possibly one of the Stolls, was collecting money. The fact that there had been bets made Nico wonder if they had been that obvious.

Nico made his way to the Hades table after Will kissed his forehead, a sly grin on the blonde's face. Nico rolled his eyes and sat down, immediately bothered by the son of Jupiter and the son of Poseidon, a plate of food placed in front of him.

Jason grinned, his glasses flashing, and Percy waved jokingly at Will before looking back across the table at Nico. "So, how's the boyfriend?"

Jason snickered as Nico began to turn red, "He's fine."

"Oh, come on, Nico," Jason smiled, elbowing him in the side. "We're just teasing." He bit into a strawberry and raised an eyebrow at Nico. He reached over and tugged a loose strand of dark hair. "Why's your hair so messy today?"

"Why else?" Percy wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

If Nico had been red before, it was nothing compared to how red he was now. He spluttered, trying to get a response out before the other two could guess wrong from his reaction. He finally managed to splutter out, "Wind nymphs."

Jason nodded, obviously trying to hold back his laughter, "Okay, okay." He straightened his glasses and looked over at Percy, the two sharing a look before digging back into their dinner.

Before Nico could ask, Jason began to ask Percy how his senior year was turning out. The two started talking about classes and potential jobs and college courses they were thinking about. Nico played with his potatoes, his thoughts randomly moving through his head. That was the thing about having ADHD, he couldn't really concentrate on one thing at once and he was beginning to grow restless. He kind of wished Will was beside him and teaching him all the bones in the human body again.

Luckily, dinner was over and it was time for their usual sing-alongs at the campfire. The fire was large and warm, a bright purple color, reflecting the campers' joyful mood. Around him, demigods were chattering and laughing, waiting for the Apollo cabin to finish warming up. Nico was squeezed between Jason and Percy, obviously the only ones from their own cabins like Nico, opposite of the instrumentalists. Nico looked up and saw Will giving him a small smile, probably laughing at the seating arrangement, before shooting him a wink.

Nico blushed and looked away, playing with his skull ring.

The songs started as they usually did, loud and off-key as everyone tried to keep up with Apollo cabin, but it didn't last long.

A sharp _throng_ rang through the campers, loud and heavy, startling everyone. Soon after, a few Apollo campers fell over, thrashing and screaming, their eyes rolling back in their heads.

"Chiron!" Nico saw Will yelling as more of his brothers and sisters fell over, the same thing happening to each of them. Will moved between each of them, trying to keep them stable and away from the flames, which was a dark blue and flying high from the sudden fear of all the campers. The Athena cabin jumped in, helping Will as they continued to fall.

Campers began to back away, allowing Chiron through, in his full centaur form, to the cabin of falling people.

Nico made his way over, fear taking hold of his heart as he pushed through campers to try and reach Will. All he could do was hope that Will wouldn't fall either.

But of course, it just wasn't his day.

Will looked up at Chiron, trying to question his mentor, before his mouth opened and he let out a blood-curling scream. Nico's heart seized in his chest as he moved faster to the other side of the, now extinguished, fire. Nico knew that, no matter how this turned out, he was going to remember that for the rest of his life, that horrible sound coming from Will.

He reached Will as Chiron caught him, thrashing just like his brothers and sisters were.

He turned to Malcolm, the second-in-command of the Athena cabin, and spoke quickly, "Help get them to the infirmary and strap them down. They seem to be having some sort of seizure and we don't yet know how severe it is. Then take some volunteers and scout the camp. We may have some enemies nearby."

Nico didn't move as Malcolm called forth his own siblings to help the fallen campers. He didn't see the few words that Malcolm and Percy exchanged. He also didn't see the campers begin to run around, preparing for another attack on their home. Nico didn't move until he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Jason beside him. "Come on, we need to scout around."

Percy walked up, leader mode on as he looked around anxiously and clicked his sword. "I'll take the beach and look in the water. Jason, you check the air, I'll get Grover to make sure the forest is clear and Nico," he looked over at Nico. "I know you're worried right now, but we've got to make sure we're safe. Check Half-Blood Hill, alright?"

Nico nodded slowly, taking a deep breath and drawing his sword. He looked back at Chiron's figure near the infirmary and then started walking toward Half-Blood Hill. His eyes scourged the ground, his ears seeming to catch every noise that was being made around him. He had half a mind to summon a few skeletons to make sure he wasn't outnumbered.

Nico shook his head and kept looking. It seemed quiet enough; there was nothing here that could attack them.

What in Hades had that been about? Nico had seen a lot of crazy things, but this, an entire cabin falling mercy to delirium, really took the hellhound treat. He had felt so helpless when he saw Will fall. It was as if Dionysus just decided to smack the entire cabin with crazy.

Nico blinked hard, rubbing at his eyes angrily. He would not cry, not now. He needed to be strong and make sure the camp was safe. He needed to make sure nothing else happened to Will.

"Nico!"

He turned around quickly, sword raised to kill, only to see a cloud of red. Rachel Elizabeth Dare was running up to him, a deranged look on her face. "I need to see Chiron. Immediately!"

Nico, not even thinking, grabbed her hand, "Relax and hold on." He took a deep breath and stepped into the shadows.

They emerged from the shadows next to the infirmary. Beside him, Rachel shivered, "I see what Percy meant about shadow traveling." Nico dropped her hand, his ears straining.

The screams had been quieted and, when Nico peered inside, it seemed as if every Apollo camper had fallen asleep. Then he noticed Clovis in the back corner, slumped against the wall in his own attempt to stay awake.

He walked into the room, eyes scanning the beds for a head of blonde. He found Chiron first, standing beside a bed in the back. Then he saw that he was standing at the head of Will's bed, who seemed to be wide awake and looking up at the centaur.

Nico walked over to the bed quietly, Rachel behind him, staring wide-eyed at all the campers tossing in their beds.

Nonetheless, Will heard them approach and offered a weak smile to Nico, his blue eyes glittering in happiness that made Nico feel weightless.

But when he noticed who was walking behind him, his eyes widened and lost their sparkle. "Rachel?"

Rachel nodded, looking between him and Chiron, before looking at her hands. "Ella and I finally figured it out." She turned her green eyes on Will, "And, well, it doesn't sound good."

The door opened again and Jason and Percy walked in, both of them doing a double take when they saw Rachel. "The, uh, camp is clear," Percy told Chiron.

The old mentor nodded, "Good, call a meeting. We all need to hear this prophecy, I think."

* * *

><p>Nico and Jason somehow managed to get Will to the Big House because he was so stubborn about being a part of the meeting. And he should be, but that didn't make Nico any less uneasy about it.<p>

"So, what's going on?" Clarisse, daughter of Ares, immediately jumped into the subject at hand. No one really expected any less of her though.

Chiron shook his head, "I'm not entirely certain yet, but I do know it has something to do with this prophecy."

Everyone turned to look at Rachel, who was doodling on her jeans nervously. She stood up, looking at everyone with the same crazed look in her eye that Nico had first seen in her. She took a deep breath before saying:

_The son of sun must travel old land,  
>With magic, tricks and death at hand.<br>Travel east to free the light,  
>Or forever live in endless night.<br>Spirit and host must then combine,  
>Before the end of month of nine.<br>But Angel beware, for the end of your way,  
>Shall you tread wrong, a price you will pay.<em>

Though Rachel didn't have the Spirit of Delphi within her, she still left the same effect behind her. Nobody spoke for a few seconds, everyone just silently looked at her and Will, who sat in shock beside Nico.

Those last two lines struck something odd in Nico. _Angel? _As in him, or did the prophecy speak of someone else? It was obvious that his name meant "Angel of Death," but that didn't necessarily mean he was the angel spoken of in the prophecy. It also didn't help that Will suddenly took to calling him _Angel_ recently.

"Well," Chiron spoke up. "It seems like we know who must lead this quest."

Will shakily stood with no hesitation, his hand tightening into a fist, "I accept."

Nico didn't understand why his heart sank as much as it did, but he bit his tongue as Will stood beside him.

After Will sat down, Malcolm cleared his throat, "So, traveling east, huh? And that 'old land' bit, does that mean back to Europe?"

Chiron nodded and looked over at Jason, Percy, Piper and Nico. "Not exactly ideal, but that is what it sounds like. And, based off recent incidents, traveling in threes would not be wise for this trip."

Will nodded, glancing at Nico before looking back at the old centaur. "I already have a few in mind, Chiron. I don't doubt my choices either."

Chiron didn't say anything for a few moments. He sighed, "Make sure you listen to the prophecy well, Will. It won't do to miss something when choosing."

Nico thought he saw Chiron's eyes flicker to him, but dismissed it.

Nico glanced at Will again, who was looking at Chiron. Was it possibly the wrong decision to go with Will on this quest if he asked?

"It obvious that Rachel has to go, too," Percy said.

Chiron rubbed his chin, his tail flicking behind him, "'Spirit and host must then combine.' I hope you have been paying attention while here at camp, Rachel. It wouldn't sit well with me to send you without any sort of training."

Percy grinned, glancing at Rachel and Nico, "Give her a blue hairbrush and she'll be fine."

Nico gave a small smile, despite his inner turmoil, remembering well when Rachel threw her brush at Kronos. The girl had guts, but fighting skills?

Chiron and some of the others grinned.

Jake Mason decided to speak up, "What about the Apollo campers?"

Everyone turned to Pollux, who sat in the back corner of the room with a glass of red Kool-Aid. The Head of Dionysus's cabin shook his head, "It doesn't look like any sign of madness that I'm familiar with. And I know a lot of crazy signs. But it _looks _like they're going crazy."

"Maybe it has to do with Apollo." Jason looked at everyone, his eyes on Will a second longer than everyone else. "Does anyone know what happened to him after Zeus decided to punish him?"

Will cleared his throat, "Apollo hasn't spoken to any of us, I asked around. And it did seem weird, but I suppose we were all used to it because he was silent so long during the war. I guess I just expected Artemis to get him out of trouble."

Nico could practically feel the awkward apprehension in the room. Though it wasn't unlike Zeus to make extreme punishments, just look at Mr. D at camp, it was strange for Apollo to go so long without so much as hearing a peep from him. He was always the flamboyant type.

"Maybe he's the light the prophecy expects the group to free," Lou Ellen said, speaking up for the first time. Nico nearly forgot that she was there.

Percy tugged on Nico's sleeve, "You haven't felt anything from Apollo, right? Like you did with Pan?"

Nico looked at his hands as everyone in the room turned to look at him now, twisting his skull ring. He could feel his ears burning, but tried to ignore it. "No. I know that if something was happening to Apollo like Pan, I would have definitely known, no matter where he is. The Olympians give off very powerful life auras and Apollo wouldn't just go out without a bang."

He heard a murmur of agreement in the room, but still kept his head down.

There was a light, warm pressure on his hand and Nico noticed that Will had shifted closer to him. He gave Nico his usual smile before looking at Chiron, "I know who I need to take on the quest. If it's alright with you, I would like to get them together as soon as possible."

Chiron bowed his head to Will, "First thing after breakfast, we can gather everyone and then ready the necessary supplies for the quest." He looked at everyone before walking over to his wheelchair and settling himself into it. "Until then, everyone head off to your cabins and rest. I have a feeling tomorrow will be a trying day."

Everyone left the Big House, the Stoll brothers arguing loudly over the trips set on Half-Blood Hill, and made their way to their cabins. Nico walked Will to the infirmary, the latter saying he would be unable to sleep in his cabin knowing that all his siblings were tied to hospital beds.

"I'll be fine Nico," he leaned down to gently kiss him, Nico's eyelids fluttering at the brief contact. Will waved goodbye as he shuffled into the infirmary.

Nico didn't move until he saw the door close, a frown forming on his lips. He didn't like the way this entire quest was making him feel. But, when did a quest ever make anyone feel happy?

Nico sighed, glancing at the sickbay once more, before walking back to the Hades cabin. Hopefully the harpies wouldn't get to him first.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh my gosh you guys! The response to this story was incredible. I…I have no idea what to say besides thank you! All your comments and kind words and asks to continue were just so sweet! I'm also very happy to continue this. I really can't wait to go with the flow of the story and just write! Of course, I have other fics I'm still doing, and there are my RPs too. But this one is getting really fun and I can't wait to write more. I hope you guys enjoyed this because it was definitely fun to write. I've never wrote anything so fast! So I just wanted to say thanks to my friend that helped me through this chapter and the song Will sung was Smile by Mikky Ekko. It's an amazing song, so listen when you get the chance. Thanks for the response you guys, have a happy new year! (Also I have a tumblr: hpowllover24. Drop in and say hi if you'd like!)<strong>


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